Based on the
Articles of Confederation having been adopted in York by the
Second Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, the local government and business community began referring to York in the 1960s as the first capital of the United States of America. The designation has been debated by historians ever since.[3] Congress considered York, and the borough of
Wrightsville, on the eastern side of York County along the Susquehanna River, as a permanent capital of the United States before Washington, D.C., was selected.[4]

Geography

According to the
U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 911 square miles (2,360 km2), of which 904 square miles (2,340 km2) is land and 6.5 square miles (17 km2) (0.7%) is water.[5] The county is bound to its eastern border by the
Susquehanna River. Its southern border is the
Mason–Dixon line, which separates Pennsylvania and
Maryland.

There were 148,219 households out of which 32.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.30% were
married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.80% were non-families. 23.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the county, the population was spread out with 24.60% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 30.30% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 13.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.80 males.

As of 2006, the York-Hanover Metropolitan Statistical Area was the fastest-growing metro area in the Northeast region, and was ranked among the fastest-growing in the nation, according to the "2006 Population Estimates for Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas" (U.S. Census Bureau). The estimates listed York-Hanover as the 95th fastest-growing metro area in the nation, increasing 9.1 percent between 2000 and 2006.

York city had a 77.3 percent increase in the number of residents of Hispanic or Latino origin, based on a comparison of the 2000 and 2010 U.S. census results.[12] The city's 30.9 percent Hispanic population (as of December 2017) is more than that of other places in the area.[13]

Intermediate Unit

Lincoln
Intermediate Unit (IU#12) region includes:
Adams County,
Franklin County and York County. The agency offers school districts, home schooled students and private schools many services including:
special education services, combined purchasing, and instructional technology services. It runs Summer Academy which offers both art and academic strands designed to meet the individual needs of
gifted, talented and high achieving students. Additional services include:
Curriculum Mapping, Professional Development for school employees,
Adult Education, Nonpublic School Services, Business Services, Migrant &
ESL (English as a Second Language), Instructional Services, Management Services, and Technology Services. It also provides a
GED program to adults who want to earn a high school diploma and literacy programs. The Lincoln Intermediate Unit is governed by a 13-member Board of Directors, each a member of a local school board from the 25 school districts. Board members are elected by school directors of all 25 school districts for three-year terms that begin the first day of July.[21] There are 29 intermediate units in Pennsylvania. They are funded by school districts, state and federal program specific funding and grants. IUs do not have the power to tax.

Communities

Map of York County, Pennsylvania with Municipal Labels showing Cities and Boroughs (red), Townships (white), and Census-designated places (blue).

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities:
cities,
boroughs,
townships, and, in at most two cases,
towns. The following cities, boroughs and townships are in York County: